Sarah Mitchell
Spiritual gifts are abilities or capacities that Christians believe are bestowed upon them by God. While there is no definitive list of spiritual gifts in the Bible, there are three biblical lists of the gifts of the Spirit in Romans 12:6–8, 1 Corinthians 12:4–11, and 1 Corinthians 12:28. There are also several other spiritual gifts mentioned in the Bible, such as craftsmanship and interpretation of dreams. Roman Catholicism, alongside other Christian denominations, continues to believe in and make use of spiritual gifts. One of the most well-known enumerations of spiritual gifts in Catholicism is the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.
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What You'll Learn
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
- Wisdom: The grace of being able to see everything with the eyes of God. It helps us to perceive truth, beauty, and goodness and to distinguish those elements from the contrary.
- Understanding: This gift helps one relate all truths to one's supernatural purpose, illuminates one's understanding of Sacred Scripture, and assists in understanding the significance of religious ritual.
- Counsel: Counsel functions as a sort of supernatural intuition, enabling a person to judge promptly and rightly, especially in difficult situations. It is also known as the gift of right judgment.
- Fortitude: This gift is often identified with courage, but it also encompasses endurance. It is the willingness to stand up for what is right in the sight of God, even if it means accepting rejection, verbal abuse, or physical harm.
- Knowledge: This gift leads us to grasp, through creation, the greatness and love of God and his profound relationship with every creature. It imparts knowledge that can only be received through divine gift.
- Piety: Piety is the recognition of "our belonging to God, our deep bond with him, a relationship that gives meaning to our whole life and keeps us resolute, in communion with him, even during the most difficult and troubled moments”.
- Fear of the Lord: This gift is akin to wonder (or awe). It is a loving and profound reverence for God, rooted in the knowledge and understanding that it is in Him that “we live and move and have our being.”
These gifts are infused into every Christian as a permanent endowment at their baptism and are nurtured by the practice of the seven virtues. They are also sealed in the sacrament of confirmation.
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Spiritual gifts in the New Testament
The New Testament mentions several spiritual gifts, primarily in 1 Corinthians 12, 13, and 14, Romans 12, and Ephesians 4. 1 Peter 4 also touches on the topic. The gifts are related to both seemingly "natural" abilities and seemingly more "miraculous" abilities, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
The New Testament contains several lists of spiritual gifts, most of which are in the Pauline epistles. While each list is unique, there is some overlap. The spiritual gifts identified in Romans 12 include prophesying, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership, and mercy. The list in 1 Corinthians 12:4–11 includes the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues, and interpretation of tongues. The list in 1 Corinthians 12:28 includes healings, helps, governments, and diversity of tongues.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are first mentioned in the Old Testament, with the prophet Isaiah describing the ideal Davidic king with these words: "The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord."
In the New Testament, the apostle Paul elaborates on these gifts, explaining that they are given to benefit others and build up the Church. He writes in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 that there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit: "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good."
Paul also emphasizes the diversity of these gifts and the unity they bring to the body of Christ: "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:12-13).
In addition to the lists in Romans and 1 Corinthians, other New Testament passages provide insight into specific spiritual gifts. For example, the ability to distinguish between spirits is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:10 and 2 Corinthians 2:12, and the gift of healing is referenced in 1 Corinthians 12:9, 28 and 2 Corinthians 2:12, among other verses.
The New Testament also discusses the office of apostle and prophet, which are considered spiritual gifts or ministries in themselves. The apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 4:11 that Christ gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry.
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Gifts of healing
The Catholic Church recognises the gift of healing as one of the charisms of the Holy Spirit, which are received at baptism. This gift was fully experienced by Jesus during his earthly ministry and is manifested in three ways, corresponding to the three dimensions of man: body, soul, and spirit.
The first dimension is physical healing, which involves healing from physical sickness and disability. Jesus laid hands on the sick and healed them, and this practice is continued by the Church today. The Catechism states, "The Church believes in the life-giving presence of Christ, the physician of souls and bodies."
The second dimension is psychological healing, which involves the healing of wounds to the human psyche, including emotional wounds. This type of healing is also known as "inner healing" and is believed to be an essential dimension of the apostolic mission and Christian faith.
The third dimension is spiritual healing, which involves healing from sin and restoring a person to a relationship with God. This type of healing is often associated with exorcism and deliverance from evil spirits.
In addition to these three dimensions, the Church also recognises the importance of prayer and the sacraments in the healing process. Prayer ministers are expected to engage in deep prayer and maturity in the Spirit before bringing forth manifestations of the Spirit during healing ministry. The sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist are considered powerful sources of healing, with the Eucharist being referred to as "the bread that gives eternal life."
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Spiritual gifts in the Bible
The Bible mentions several spiritual gifts, which are believed to be bestowed by the Holy Spirit. These gifts are not exclusive to leaders or those perceived as more spiritually mature, but are distributed among all believers. They are meant to foster unity, service, and mutual edification within the church community.
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, as outlined in Isaiah 11:1-2, are:
- Wisdom: The ability to see the world through God's eyes and perceive truth, beauty, and goodness.
- Understanding: This gift helps one relate all truths to their supernatural purpose and enhances understanding of Sacred Scripture and religious rituals.
- Counsel: A form of supernatural intuition that enables one to judge promptly and rightly, especially in difficult situations.
- Fortitude: Often identified with courage, fortitude is the strength and courage needed to confront evil in one's life.
- Knowledge: This gift imparts knowledge of God and His profound relationship with every creature, going beyond human understanding.
- Piety: Recognizing our deep bond with God and our belonging to Him, keeping us resolute even during difficult times.
- Fear of the Lord: A profound reverence for God, rooted in the awareness of His greatness and our smallness before Him.
Other spiritual gifts mentioned in the Bible include:
- Faith: All believers possess faith to some degree, but the spiritual gift of faith is a special trust and confidence in God that allows individuals to live boldly for Him.
- Healing: God has the power to heal and empower individuals with the gift of healing.
- Prophecy: The ability to foretell future events or speak on behalf of God.
- Discernment: The ability to distinguish between the true message of God and the deceptions of Satan.
- Speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues: The gift of speaking in unknown languages and the ability to interpret and understand these tongues.
- Helps or Service: The ability to aid or render assistance to others within the church community with compassion and grace.
- Teaching: The ability to effectively communicate biblical teachings and apply them to everyday life.
- Leadership: The gift of providing guidance and direction to others, often associated with the role of a pastor or shepherd.
- Mercy: Showing compassion and sensitivity towards those in distress, coupled with a desire to lessen their suffering.
- Miracles: The ability to perform supernatural events that can only be attributed to the power of God.
These gifts are meant to build up the church, share God's message, and glorify Him. They are not static but can be enhanced through further education, personal growth, and prayer.
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Gifts of the Spirit in the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church identifies seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are first mentioned in the Old Testament and found in the Book of Isaiah 11:1–2. These gifts are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are considered heroic character traits that Jesus Christ possesses in their entirety, but he shares them with his followers through baptism and confirmation. These gifts are also known as the sanctifying gifts of the Spirit, as they help Christians grow in holiness and become fit for heaven. They are believed to make Christians more attuned to God's voice and help them become the person God created them to be.
Wisdom is considered the first and greatest gift, allowing one to see the world through God's eyes and perceive truth, beauty, and goodness. Understanding helps one relate all truths to their supernatural purpose and illuminates their understanding of Sacred Scripture and religious ritual. Counsel functions as supernatural intuition, enabling one to judge rightly and promptly, especially in difficult situations.
Fortitude is often identified with courage but also encompasses endurance, giving one the firmness of mind to do good and endure evil. Knowledge is a special gift that allows one to grasp the greatness and love of God by noticing the beauty and mystery of creation. Piety is a recognition of our deep bond with God and our total reliance on Him, leading to a genuine religious spirit that makes us see others as our brothers and sisters.
Finally, fear of the Lord is not a servile fear of punishment but a joyful awareness of God's grandeur and a realisation that our hearts find true peace only in Him. It is a loving and profound reverence for God, rooted in the knowledge that we live, move, and exist in Him. These gifts are believed to be indispensable resources in the struggle to establish God's kingdom on earth.
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